Hellebore-The Promise of Spring’s Arrival
During the depths of winter under a blanket of white snow lies the promise of spring. Hellebore, also known as Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose gets ready to bring forth its beautiful pink, white, red and green flowers and let us know that the promise of spring has arrived. These underutilized perennials are good candidates for woodland gardens. They also can be used as a groundcover or as an interesting specimen plant in a winter landscape.
Hellebore is called the Christmas Rose as it was said to have sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift for the Christ child. It is also called the Lenten Rose as varieties of the plant often bloom during the Lenten season. In actuality, the Hellebore is not a member of the rose family. They are native to Europe and Asia and there are generally three types:
- Christmas Rose - This Hellebore typically blooms in February and early March. Unlike other varieties, it does not spread as quickly and can be rather short lived. The flowers come in shades of white and pink which sit above and among its dull green leaves.
- Lenten Rose - This Hellebore spreads quickly and generally blooms in March and April. Its flowers come in shades of white, pink and red and unlike the Christmas Rose, it recovers quickly after it has been divided. Its leaves have a glossy sheen to them and have toothed edges.
- Bear’s-Foot - This is the rarest of Hellebores but it also is the most prolific self-seeder. Most Hellebores take several years to bloom when they are grown from seed but this variety will bloom more quickly than either the Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose. Bear’s-Foot blooms form in the fall and then start to bloom in January and continue blooming into April and May. The blooms are green and look like inverted cups.
Hellebores prefer moist, rich soil although the Bear’s-Foot variety will tolerate dry, shady conditions. They grow 18 to 24 inches tall and once established rarely need to be divided. They are hardy in garden zones 4 to 9 and will need to be watered during hot, dry summers to prevent the leaves from burning. However, if the leaves do become damaged they can be removed and new leaves will appear once cooler temperatures return. Finally, while beautiful Hellebores are also toxic. They should be avoided in gardens where pets or children are frequent visitors.
